Abstract:

Introduction: In the framework of the preservation and development of health, the level of health literacy in women is an important factor for the improvement of health and prevention of diseases. Purpose: This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effects of mothers' health literacy levels on their postpartum breastfeeding self-capacity levels. Method: The sample of the investigation in the identificative and relative type was made by 263 mothers who applied to the child clinics of a district state hospital between March 2017/August 2017 and who had a baby up to 6 months after birth. The identifying data form that question the demographic characteristics of the mother and baby and the health reading scale and breastfeeding self-sufficiency scale-short form have been used. Data analysis used correlation analysis, t test and One Way ANOVA test. Results: The study found a significant difference between the average maternal self-sufficiency score and the experience of breastfeeding and the participation in pregnancy classes (p<.001); the average health literature score and the time of training and the planning of pregnancy (p<.001). It has been found that there is a statistically meaningful, positive-low-level relationship between breastfeeding self-sufficiency total score average and health literature total score average (r = .480, p<.001). The result: As the level of health readiness of mothers increased, the level of breastfeeding self-sufficiency also increased. In this direction, in the more preconceptional period and from the pregnancy period, the determination and increase of the level of health literacy of women will ensure that health protection behaviors such as breastfeeding are achieved in the right place, in the right time, in the right way.

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